CRPD

Promoting Equality and Inclusion for All

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Our philosophy and approach are based on and driven by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The World Federation of the Deaf has made significant contributions to the recognition of sign languages at the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Adopted in 2006, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities provides an international benchmark to improve the human rights of people with disabilities globally.

The WFD was among the eight largest organisations of persons with disabilities invited to participate in drafting the CRPD and the efforts have been instrumental in promoting sign languages and a bilingual and bicultural educational approach.

The CRPD includes key articles directly concerning deaf persons, such as Article 2 (Definition), Article 9 (Accessibility), Article 21 (Freedom of Expression), Article 24 (Education), and Article 30 (Participation in Cultural Life).

Since the enforcement of the CRPD in 2008, the WFD continues to actively advocate and promote deaf issues and perspectives in various UN forums.

WFD work on CRPD

Mentions of sign language in the CRPD

The WFD is dedicated to promoting and protecting the rights of deaf people, especially through the use of sign languages, as outlined by some of our key initiatives with the CRPD. First and foremost, to ensure these initiatives are met, the WFD champions a human rights model, recognising deaf people as equal members of society with the right to use sign languages without discrimination and following the CRPD principles.

We advocate for the legal recognition of national sign languages, ensuring that deaf people can fully enjoy their human rights in all areas of life, per Article 21 of the CRPD. Inclusion and access are vital. The WFD works in advocacy at the CRPD level and at CRPD Conference of State Parties meetings to ensure deaf people have equal access to education, public services, and private life through sign languages. Additionally, we also emphasise the importance of families learning sign languages to communicate effectively with their deaf children.

CRPD Committee

We encourage the presence of deaf members on the CRPD Committee. To achieve that goal, we are working with deaf leaders and the international disability movement to promote the nomination and election of deaf members.

Include deaf people’s perspective in the CRPD Committee's review

We identify the countries to be reviewed by the CRPD Committee and contact the national associations of these countries that are members of WFD.

We provide them with support in the review process by the CRPD Committee to highlight the rights and issues concerning deaf people and we support advocacy efforts to encourage governments to uphold their obligations.